The Deadly Truth of Agriculture
Agriculture in the United States is the backbone of the country. Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more dangerous every year. Only a few years ago, farming ranked eighth as one of the most dangerous rankings. Today, agriculture ranks fourth.
Soaring Death Rate
Did you know farm workers are 800% more likely to die on the job than in other industries? That’s a staggering statistic! And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatalities and injuries among agricultural are on the rise.
The unfortunate truth is that if you are a farm worker, you’re also working in one of the most hazardous industries in the nation. The National Safety Council reports that of the approximately 3.1 million people who work on America’s 2.3 million farms and ranches, 1,300 die each year and 120,000 are injured.
That means, for every 100,000 farmers, about 25 die each year. Also, equipment injures another 243. Five percent of these injuries result in permanent disability.
Deadly Machines Killing Farmers
Farming may be one of the oldest professions, but new mechanical technology also makes it deadly. Many farming accidents happen while working with dangerous equipment like tractors. Tractor deaths claimed 125 lives in the US alone. Overturned tractors are the number one cause of serious injury to farmers. This normally happens when the tractor hits a slope with slippery or rough terrain causing it to rollover. Pulling a heavy load can compound the danger by causing poor equilibrium.
Manufacturer’s Responsibility
Insufficient warnings can hurt or kill a farmer or farm worker. When manufacturers fail to warn consumers about the dangers of operating the farm machinery that they design, the law may hold them responsible for worker injuries and/or deaths.
For example, some machinery requires entering climbing over operating gears that are likely to be activated by mistake. Other equipment might be relatively safe to operate in an open field but become dangerous when moved near overhead power lines. And some machines have components that continue to move for a period after being shut off.
Holding the manufacturers and sellers of defective farm equipment accountable not only helps the person injured, but also helps deter the manufacturer from continuing to use defective products. Many successful defective product lawsuits result in recalls of the defective product, which prevents injuries to others and dissuades the manufacturer from cutting corners in the future.
Defective farm equipment design could have caused your injury from a farming accident. That means: You are not at fault, and you deserve compensation! Depending on the case, a variety of parties could be responsible for defective farm equipment injuries, which may also include companies that design, sell, lease, or furnish equipment to farmers.